It became China’s top free iOS app in less than 48 hours. Then came the privacy backlash.

What if with just one picture, your face could be swapped with Leonardo DiCaprio’s into clips of some of the award-winning actor’s most memorable roles?

advertisement

Oh, and in less than 10 seconds.

The meme possibilities alone may have your head dancing in social media delight. That’s certainly what fueled Chinese app Zao’s meteoric rise up China’s iOS free app charts over the weekend, after being released on Friday, propelling it to the top spot by Sunday. It’s essentially a free, deepfake, face-swapping app that can drop your face into select TV and movie scenes after uploading just a single image.

In case you haven't heard, #ZAO is a Chinese app which completely blew up since Friday. Best application of 'Deepfake'-style AI facial replacement I've ever seen.

Here's an example of me as DiCaprio (generated in under 8 secs from that one photo in the thumbnail) ???? pic.twitter.com/1RpnJJ3wgT

“This is a new product. We were indeed inconsiderate about people’s core concerns,” the company said. The updated user agreement says Zao “will try its best, based on the privacy terms, to use the content you have authorized us to use within a reasonable, necessary and expressly stated extent . . . Your necessary authorization and agreement will not change your ownership of the intellectual property rights.” The company said it will not store “facial biometric data” on its app.